Building

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to a building including a wall panel assembly, and a roof assembly supported by the wall panel assembly. The wall panel assembly includes a wall panel and a coupler for receiving the wall panel. The coupler couples a joist to the wall panel. The coupler includes a receptacle for receiving the wall panel and a support extending from the receptacle and for supporting a joist. The roof assembly includes a resilient spacer and a roof panel located adjacent the resilient spacer.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to buildings such as houses, for example.

BACKGROUND

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

It is advantageous to construct buildings such as houses both quickly and using a minimum of materials with a view to reducing costs. Many modern buildings are constructed with prefabricated wall, floor, and roof panels that can either be assembled together at the building site or at another location and transported to the building site.

The wall panels used in these buildings typically include a core of either Expandable PolyStyrene (EPS), Mineral Wool Fibre or Polyurethane (PIP), or similar and cladding sheets fastened to the core. In practice, the cladding sheets can peel or break away from the core of the wall panels, particularly under load. The lower wall panel load is greater in multiple level buildings where higher level floor components are connected to the lower wall panels and the cladding separation issue is exacerbated.

Roof panels that have metal cladding sheets on either side or both sides can expand and contract during temperature fluctuations. Over time, the expansion and contraction of these panels undermines the integrity of the panels and the building.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an alternative building which ameliorates at least one of the foregoing problems, or at least provides a useful commercial choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coupler for coupling a joist to a wall, the coupler including:

-   -   a receptacle for receiving the wall; and     -   a support extending from the receptacle and for supporting a         joist.

In one embodiment, an end of the wall panel is received in the receptacle to impede peeling of outer cladding sheets from the wall panel.

The receptacle may include three orthogonally arranged members. The support may extend from a bottom end of the one of the members. The support may include a shelf.

The coupler may be elongate and formed from galvanized plate steel of uniform thickness. The thickness may be 2 mm. The receptacle and support may define apertures for receiving fasteners.

The coupler may include another support extending from the receptacle and for supporting another joist

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wall panel assembly including:

-   -   a wall panel; and     -   the coupler for receiving the wall panel.

The wall panel assembly may further include a channel member for locating adjacent the coupler and for receiving another wall panel so that the wall panels are in alignment. The coupler may be a lintel for locating over a window, a door or other building opening. The coupler may serve to distribute loads evenly along the wall panel.

The wall panel may define a hollow and include a reinforcement member in the hollow for reinforcing the wall panel. The coupler may form a horizontal loading plate on the top of this reinforcement member.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coupler for coupling a component transversely to a wall, the coupler including:

-   -   a receptacle for receiving the wall; and     -   a support extending from the receptacle and for supporting the         component.

Preferably, the component is a joist, floor panel or ceiling panel.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building panel assembly including:

-   -   a resilient spacer; and     -   a building panel located adjacent the resilient spacer and         defining a aperture; and     -   a fastener for extending though the aperture and spacer, and         being of lesser cross sectional area than the aperture.

The position of the fastener within the aperture (of greater cross sectional area) can vary during expansion and contraction of the building panel without stressing the panel and the building.

The building panel assembly may further include a mounting bracket to which the fastener is fastened. The mounting bracket may receive another building panel. The mounting bracket may define a pair of parallel members between which an oblique member extends. The mounting bracket may be formed from plate steel.

The spacer may be formed of stiffened foam rubber. The spacer may be between 100 mm to 120 mm wide and 10 mm thick.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building panel assembly including:

-   -   a resilient spacer; and     -   a building panel located adjacent the resilient spacer.

The building panel assembly may be a roof assembly.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a resilient spacer for locating between a building panel and a mounting bracket.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building including:

-   -   the wall panel assembly; and     -   the roof assembly supported by the wall panel assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a building in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of a wall panel assembly of the building of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partly sectioned upper perspective view of the wall panel assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the wall panel assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a coupler of the wall panel assembly of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional side view of a roof panel assembly of the building of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a multi-storey building 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The building 2 includes several like wall panel assemblies 4 on different floors, and a roof assembly 6 supported by the wall panel assemblies 4.

Turning to FIG. 2, each wall panel assembly 4 includes a vertical wall panel 8 and saddle coupler 10 for receiving the wall panel 8. The saddle coupler 10 couples horizontal joists 12 to the wall panel 8. As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the saddle coupler 10 includes an upper wall receptacle 14 for receiving the wall panel 8. The wall receptacle 14 includes three orthogonally arranged members 18, 20, 22. An upper end of the wall panel 8 is received in the wall receptacle 14 to impede peeling of contained ends of the outer cladding sheets from the wall panel 8.

A joist support 16 extends from the wall receptacle 14 and supports the joists 12. The joist support 16 extends from a bottom end of the central member 22 and includes a shelf 24. The saddle coupler 10 is elongate (FIGS. 3 and 4) and is formed from galvanized plate steel of uniform 2 mm thickness. The wall receptacle 14 and joist support 16 defines apertures 26 for receiving fasteners 27 as can best be seen in FIG. 2.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wall panel assembly 4 further includes a channel member 28 for locating adjacent the saddle coupler 10 and for receiving another wall panel 8 b so that the wall panels 8, 8 b are in alignment. Turning to FIG. 4, the saddle coupler 10 effectively forms a lintel located over windows, doors 30 or other building openings. The coupler 10 serves to distribute joist loads evenly along the wall panel 8.

Returning to FIG. 2, the wall panel 8 also defines a hollow and includes a tubular reinforcement member 32 in the hollow for reinforcing the wall panel 8. The coupler 10 forms a horizontal loading plate on the top of this reinforcement member 32. Floor sheeting 34 and ceiling lining 36 can be mounted to the joists 12.

Turning to FIG. 6, the roof panel assembly 6 includes a resilient block spacer 40. A roof panel 42 rests adjacent the block spacer 40 and defines an aperture 44. The roof panel assembly 6 further includes a fastener 46 (e.g. bolt or screw) for extending though the aperture 44 and the block spacer 40. The fastener 46 is of lesser cross sectional area than the aperture 44. The position of the fastener 46 within the aperture 44 (of greater cross sectional area) can vary during expansion and contraction of the roof panel 42 without stressing the panel 42 and the building 2 as a whole.

The roof panel assembly 6 further includes a mounting bracket 48 to which the fastener 46 is fastened. The mounting bracket 48 receives another building panel 8. The elongate mounting bracket 48 is formed from plate steel and defines a pair of parallel members 50, 52 between which an oblique member 54 extends.

The block spacer 40 is formed of stiffened foam rubber, and is between 100 mm to 120 mm wide and 10 mm thick. The block spacer 40 absorbs stresses that occur as the roof panel 42 expands and contracts with varying temperature. In addition, the block spacer 40 tightly hugs the fastener 46 and provides waterproofing of the roof panel aperture 44. Furthermore, the block spacer 40 dampens movement noise in the building 2.

A tradesman can drill the larger aperture 44 through the roof panel 42 while the roof panel 42 rests on the block spacer 40 without continuing to drill through the mounting bracket 48, as it is readily apparent to the tradesman once the drill passes through the hard panel 42 and encounters the soft block spacer 40. The mounting bracket 48 is instead later drilled separately by the pre-drill point of the fastener 46 to ensure proper fixing of the fastener 48 to the bracket 48 (as per manufacturer's recommendations).

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

The saddle coupler 10 is suitable for coupling a joist 12 to either the left or right hand side of a wall 8 (FIG. 1). In an alternative embodiment, the saddle coupler may be suitable to coupling joists to both sides of a wall. In this manner, the receptacle members 18, 22 may be of equal length. Another support 16 may extend outwardly from member 18 to support another joist.

The receptacle 14 is suitable for containing a variety of EPS and other types of wall panels with varying skin. The saddle coupler 10 is particularly useful in containing the skin of wall panels in multi-storey buildings which are under greater weight duress and are therefore more likely to have peeling skin.

In one embodiment, the saddle coupler 10 is suitable for transversely coupling a floor panel (or ceiling panel) to the wall 8.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art. 

1. A wall panel assembly including: a wall panel at least partially defining a hollow configured for receiving a reinforcement member in the hollow to reinforce the wall panel; and a coupler configured for coupling a joist to the wall panel, the coupler including: a receptacle configured for receiving the wall panel; and a support extending from the receptacle and configured for supporting the joist; wherein the hollow is formed at a joint between the wall panel and an adjacent wall panel such that the reinforcement member is configured for aligning the wall panel with the adjacent wall panel.
 2. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, including the reinforcement member which is tubular and, in use, is located upright beneath the coupler.
 3. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein an end of the wall panel is received in the receptacle to impede peeling of outer cladding sheets from the wall panel.
 4. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receptacle includes three orthogonally arranged members.
 5. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the support extends from a bottom end of the one of the members and includes a shelf.
 6. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupler is elongate and formed from galvanized plate steel of uniform thickness, the coupler including another support extending from the receptacle and configured for supporting another joist.
 7. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, further including a channel member configured for locating adjacent the coupler and for receiving another wall panel so that the wall panels are in alignment.
 8. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the coupler is a lintel configured to be located over a building opening and to distribute loads evenly along the wall panel.
 9. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 2, the coupler foaming a horizontal loading plate on top of the reinforcement member.
 10. A wall panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support supports the joist transversely to the wall panel.
 11. A wall panel assembly including: a first wall panel at least partially defining a hollow at an end wall thereof; a second wall panel at least partially defining a hollow at an end wall thereof, the second wall panel being arranged in an end-to-end abutment relationship with the first wall panel such that the first and second wall panels define a hollow at a joint therebetween; a reinforcement member configured for insertion in the hollow at the joint between the first and second wall panels to reinforce and align the first and second wall panels; and a coupler configured for coupling a joist to the first wall panel, the coupler including: a receptacle configured for receiving the first wall panel; and a support extending from the receptacle and configured for supporting the joist.
 12. A building panel assembly including: a resilient spacer; a building panel located adjacent the resilient spacer and defining an aperture; and a fastener extending though the aperture and spacer, and being of lesser cross sectional area than the aperture, wherein the position of the fastener within the aperture can vary during expansion and contraction of the building panel without stressing the building panel.
 13. A building panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, further including a mounting bracket to which the fastener is fastened.
 14. A building panel assembly as claimed in claim 13, the mounting bracket being configured to receive another building panel.
 15. A building panel assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the mounting bracket defines a pair of parallel members between which an oblique member extends.
 16. A building panel assembly as claimed in claim 13, the mounting bracket being formed from plate material.
 17. A building panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the spacer is formed of stiffened foam rubber.
 18. A building panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the building panel assembly is a roof assembly.
 19. A building panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the resilient spacer is configured for locating between the building panel and a mounting bracket.
 20. A building including: a wall panel assembly, comprising: a wall panel at least partially defining a hollow configured for receiving a reinforcement member in the hollow to reinforce the wall panel; and a coupler configured for coupling a joist to the wall panel, the coupler including: a receptacle configured for receiving the wall panel; and a support extending from the receptacle and configured for supporting the joist; wherein the hollow is formed at a joint between the wall panel and an adjacent wall panel such that the reinforcement member is configured for aligning the wall panel with the adjacent wall panel; and a roof assembly supported by the wall panel assembly, wherein the roof assembly comprises: a resilient spacer; a building panel located adjacent the resilient spacer and defining an aperture; and a fastener extending though the aperture and spacer, and being of lesser cross sectional area than the aperture, wherein the position of the fastener within the aperture can vary during expansion and contraction of the building panel without stressing the building panel. 